FIA Presidential Candidate Sues Governing Body Over Election Rules

FIA presidential candidate Laura Villars has filed a lawsuit against the governing body, less than two months before the upcoming elections. This legal challenge aims to overturn current regulations that effectively prevent her and other potential challengers from mounting a credible campaign against incumbent president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Why it matters:

Laura Villars' lawsuit against the FIA highlights significant concerns over the fairness and accessibility of the presidential election process. If successful, this challenge could force the FIA to re-evaluate its electoral rules, potentially opening the door for more diverse leadership candidates and ensuring a more democratic process within global motorsport's governing body.

The Details:

• Villars has asked the Paris Court of First Instance to suspend the election until a decision on the merits of her dispute is pronounced. The first hearing is scheduled for November 10, just one month before the elections set for December 12 in Uzbekistan.
• Under current FIA regulations, any presidential candidate must present a complete team of seven vice presidents, each representing a distinct world region.
  • These include two from Europe, and one each from Asia-Pacific, the Middle East/North Africa, North America, South America, and Africa.
  • Failure to fill even one of these positions automatically invalidates the entire candidacy.
• The FIA's official list of 29 World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) members, from whom vice-presidential nominees must be chosen, was published in early October 2025.
• This list immediately exposed a major hurdle for challengers: In the South American bloc, the only eligible candidate is Fabiana Ecclestone, wife of Bernie Ecclestone and currently vice president under Ben Sulayem. If she remains aligned with the incumbent, no rival can satisfy the South American representation requirement.
• Similarly, both eligible representatives from the African bloc are reportedly close to Ben Sulayem, making their support for an opposing campaign highly improbable.

Between the lines:

This situation effectively creates a significant barrier to entry for any candidate not aligned with the current leadership. The requirement for a full slate of geographically diverse vice presidents, combined with the limited pool of eligible nominees, could lead to Ben Sulayem being re-elected unopposed, raising questions about the democratic integrity of the FIA's electoral system.

What's next:

The outcome of the November 10 court hearing will be crucial. Should the court side with Villars, it could force a postponement or a fundamental change to the election rules, potentially allowing for a more competitive presidential race. If the lawsuit is dismissed, Mohammed Ben Sulayem's path to re-election appears clear, likely leading to continued debates about governance within the FIA.